Late Night Double Feature
by El loopy
Summary: Travelling home from a case Reid, Morgan and Garcia run into car trouble and seek shelter in the nearest house. Rated M for safety.
1. Chapter 1

**'I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey.'**

 _ **The Criminologist**_

* * *

Chapter 1

The rain pounded on the roof of the SUV sliding down the windscreen in sheets as the wipers vainly did battle, giving Morgan the briefest glimpses of the road before his vision was obscured again.

"I still think we should stop and wait it out."

Morgan set his jaw determinedly and tried to keep his eyes on the road.

"Reid, we've been through this."

Garcia shot Reid a warning glance from the passenger seat into the back where he sat with his arms folded.

He seemed impervious to Garcia's not so subtle message and continued, "I'm just saying that it would be much safer if we..."

"Look!" Garcia interrupted before Morgan could, "check out those motorcycles."

Through the curtain of water Reid and Garcia watched as person after person sped past the car.

"I would not want to be them in this weather," Morgan commented humourlessly as he leaned closer to the glass, straining his eyes through the rain.

"Actually I don't think I would want to be them at all," Reid interjected from the back seat. "Did you know that the death rate for motorcyclists involved in an accident..."

A loud bang cut off Reid's monologue as the car lurched and Garcia yelped. Morgan gripped the wheel tightly, fighting for control as a second later another loud bang shook the car. His hands were trembling slightly as he managed to bring it to a controlled stop and glanced at the other passengers.

"Everyone all right?"

Reid nodded white faced from the back and Garcia said nothing, merely opening her tightly shut eyes and turning them to Morgan.

"I think..." Reid swallowed around his harsh breathing, trying to get it under control, "I think we just blew a tyre."

"Or two," Morgan muttered, leaning his head back against the seat, "and we don't have two spares."

"Just wait till you hear the worse news," Garcia whispered, checking her cell phone, "there is no signal."

"Great," Morgan muttered, "looks like you got your wish Reid."

"Guys, I think there was some kind of a house back there," Reid was peering though the back windscreen, completely oblivious to Morgan's comment, "maybe we could ask them if they have a land-line?"

Garcia's eyes widened, "You mean that spooky looking place?"

Reid tossed her a look over his shoulder and Garcia threw her hands in the air in mock surrender. "Hey, it might not look creepy to you but you go into those type of places as your day job. I just call them as I see them. Creepy."

Morgan sighed and reached for his gun, buckling it to his waist. "Well there's no point staying here."

Garcia jabbed her finger at the rain, "I'm not going out in that. Do you know how long it takes to create the vision of perfection you see before you?"

Morgan grinned at her and reached for the car door.

"C'mon Baby Girl."

He opened up and stepped into the torrential downpour, Reid following seconds later, slinging his satchel over his shoulder. With a sigh Garcia stepped out after them.

The rain hit her like a cold shock and she gasped as it quickly soaked through her clothes. Glaring out into the darkness she mentally cursed the weather and slammed the SUV door shut behind her. Reid and Morgan were staring curiously at the double blown tires, frowns marring their foreheads.

"What is the probability of a double flat?" Morgan asked rhetorically, kicking at the traitorous second tyre.

"I could give you the actual statistic but I don't think that's what you want to hear. It's not very high." Reid found himself having to shout the reply over the roar of water. Garcia joined them, already dripping.

"It's kind of suspicious actually," Reid added.

Morgan made a mental note to be more alert as he gestured Reid and Garcia to walk ahead of him and they set off back down the road.

The rusted gates of the mansion creaked eerily, in the kind of clichéd way that made Garcia grimace.

"Rusted gates, strange noises, a storm, a spooky mansion," she muttered under her breath, "this has all the marks of an old B-movie."

Morgan's lips twitched in what may have been a smile but the rain was beginning to obscure vision in the form of matted eyelashes.

It was with great relief that they took shelter under the front porch. Whilst Garcia pulled a face at her drenched clothing and Reid ran a hand distractedly through his hair, shaking out the water, Morgan reached for the doorbell and rang it.

"What if they don't let us in?" Garcia commented anxiously, feeling a chill enter under her skin; the type that only a hot shower, warm, dry clothes, and a steaming mug of tea could banish.

"Pretend to be pregnant," Reid responded instantly, ploughing onward despite Morgan's warning glance. "Although there is no law that states you must allow pregnant women access to a toilet, discretion is often applied in these situations, and most people..."

"Reid..."

"No, no, no," he attempted to reassure, "It's a compliment, honestly..."

Garcia cut across him. "Reid, I love you, but if you ever imply that I could pass for being pregnant again I will systematically erase your online existence."

Reid frowned slightly in puzzlement, "I wasn't aware that I had one..."

Morgan tried to turn his laugh into a cough and was saved from Garcia's wrath as she turned dagger like eyes onto him by the huge old door creaking open.

Standing in the gap was a gaunt faced figure, hunched over with white blonde hair hanging in thin strands. Garcia was eerily reminded of the henchman Igor in all those horror films. He looked from one to the other warily, eyes sharp and assessing.

"Yes?" he drew out nasally.

Morgan took charge. "Sir, our car has unfortunately blown two tyres and we are unable to get phone signal," he waved his cell back and forth as though to emphasis the point. "Would it be possible to use the house phone?"

Again they were subjected to a scrutinising gaze. Morgan sighed and prepared to reach for his badge. He didn't really want to play the FBI card as it often made people more nervous than helpful but Hotch was expecting them somewhere entirely elsewhere and he needed to check in.

"You're wet." The strange figure pronounced unnecessarily.

"Yes," Reid cast a look at Garcia and back to the man, "it's raining."

Again he looked them all over, gaze lingering for a long time on each one before opening the door wider.

"You had better come in."

Morgan tilted his head in thanks, voicing the same sentiment as he stepped over the threshold. Reid came quickly after, and, with some slight hesitation, Garcia followed. The door shut behind her with a bang that made her jump.

"Was it just me," she muttered under her breath, "or did that sound eerily final?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The interior of the mansion consisted so far of a decrepit entrance hall with a staircase ascending into the darkness of other floors. Reid cast assessing eyes quickly over the antique furnishings, noting the multiple spiders webs and thick coating of dust. From the very brief glance Morgan cast over his shoulder Reid knew that he had noticed as well.

"So...it's just you here then?" Morgan asked carefully. Garcia spotted a particularly gigantic spider and shuddered, moving further into the centre of the room.

The hunched man looked at him with a condescending smile.

"No, I am merely the handy man," he stopped abruptly and gave a jerky bow. "Riff Raff."

'Handy man,' Reid mouthed to himself with a frown at the odd title, eyes still scanning every available surface. As a consequence he spotted the unfamiliar shape first; a strange shadow halfway up the dark stairs.

"You are very lucky," Riff Raff continued, "the Master is having one of his affairs."

"He's lucky, you're lucky, we're all lucky!" screeched a voice, and the strange shape came hurtling down the banister in the form of a maid. The appearance was so sudden that Morgan's hand was on his gun before he realised. Riff Raff's eyes tracked the sudden movement, his mouth twitched with a wary gleam, before the expression re-set to blank. Only Reid noticed the odd exchange before his attention returned to the spectacle that grabbed the others. The maid jumped to the floor at the end of the staircase and grinned at them. Her grin was all teeth, and didn't hold the same reassurance that most smiles did. Her uniform was clearly not a regulation one but rather looked like it had come from a fancy dress shop, under the heading naughty maid. Garcia eyed the woman in front of her in pure astonishment. It looked like she had been dragged backwards through a crawl space. Garcia gave Reid a less than subtle nudge with the elbow when she noticed he was staring. Instantly he averted his eyes and blushed a light dusting of red.

"This is my sister Magenta," Riff Raff introduced and Morgan removed his hand from his jacket where it had rested on his gun. He inclined his head at the maid in acknowledgement before turning resolutely back to Riff Raff.

"Sir, your house phone?"

His assessment of the situation was sitting currently at unhealthy environment if not potentially dangerous. He hadn't missed that the maid had landed in front of the door, efficiently blocking their exit. They may be harmless but they were certainly strange and his team suffered quite enough of that in their day to day job without having to suffer it in their down time as well.

The eerie smile on Riff Raff's face didn't do anything to alleviate his unease.

"I'm afraid the storm has cut off our phone line," he responded, sounding not in the least bit sorry.

"Then why did you let us in," Reid interjected impatiently from behind Morgan.

Riff Raff widened his eyes further as though it were obvious, "You were wet." He looked back to Morgan. "You might as well wait the storm out." Morgan opened his mouth to turn down the offer but the Handy man powered on. "At least get warm and dry," he wheedled. "You may be able to find signal in the house."

Morgan glanced anxiously at his shivering companions and back to Riff Raff. "Where might I get a signal?"

The look of satisfaction on the man's face almost made Morgan retract his decision but Riff Raff was already handing him over to Magenta.

"My sister will show you where to go. Do not worry about your friends. They will be taken care of."

"Right this way," Magenta uttered in her sultry voice, gesturing Morgan deeper into the house. With one final glance over his shoulder at Reid and Garcia, and a nod indicating that he would be back soon, Morgan followed the maid until he disappeared into the shadows.

Riff Raff turned back to the remaining two agents. His smile sent a shiver skating up their spines.

"I'm sure you'll be wanting some refreshments. Right this way."

Reid and Garcia looked at each other nervously but followed.

"Did you feel like you were being studied like a piece of meat?" Garcia hissed quietly.

"When I was being examined as a boy," Reid replied equally as quietly, "on my intelligence these academics would sit around and stare at me as I completed their tests. The way they watched me was almost hungry." The doctor checked over his shoulder. "Yes Garcia, that's exactly what it felt like."

As they walked through a couple of rooms with a random assortment of dusty antiques and bookshelves, Reid's eyes scanning over everything he saw, they began to feel an underlying beat.

"That will be the party," Riff Raff tossed over his shoulder.

'Party' Garcia mouthed at Reid and he shrugged in response as they approached a huge pair of double doors. The beat was more pervasive here and Reid flinched back.

"Is it entirely necessary to go in?"

Riff Raff gave him an emotionless look. "You wanted to see the master."

Reid opened his mouth to say 'no, not really...' but the doors were already being flung open and they found themselves in the midst of a party in full swing. The room looked like a huge dance hall, complete with speakers, tables laid with food and drink, and, rather oddly, a throne at one end, standing on a platform. Spencer's eyes grew wide and he took a half step back, but Garcia's face beamed with a huge grin, lit up like a child's at all the colours and the costumes of the dancers that filled the hall.

"This is amazing," she breathed.

"Of course," Reid muttered, shifting his satchel more securely on his shoulder, "you find the house creepy but the strangely dressed people dancing are wonderful."

Garcia had already moved further into the room, her mouth stretched into an open declaration of awe.

"After you..."

Reid jumped as the handy man materialised behind him, clearly making the decision not optional. Riff Raff's eyes were hard as flint and again the agent saw the man that made his blood run cold and warning bells clang. With an eye on his blocked exit Reid stepped warily into the dance hall. His hand reached subtly for his gun and touched empty space, as for the first time he realised he'd left it in the car. With rapid steps he caught up to the analyst and gripped her arm.

"Garcia," he hissed, "I have no gun."

"Hmmm..." it took a moment for her eyes to focus back from the swirling colours. The music pounded out as a group of oddly dressed dancers performed a choreographed routine on the dance floor, singing along to whatever song it was that was playing.

"I left my gun in the car," he hissed again, and this time the seriousness filtered through. The smile disappeared from Garcia's face as her lips became a thin line.

"Let's just hope we won't need it," she replied.

The beat lowered and the singing voices stopped, forcing the agent's attention back to the room. A sole singer, wearing a sparkling suit, was stood by the speakers with a microphone. A bowler hat sat jauntily on top of her cut short hair and her voice drifted out across the room.

"Love that girl's style," Garcia whispered.

"That's Columbia," Riff Raff spoke from directly behind them, once again making Reid jump.

"Can you not do that?" the doctor snapped and with a smirk the handy man withdrew to the drinks table, lightly tapping his foot.

"Garcia, we need to get out of here and find Morgan." Reid glanced around the room suspiciously. "I'm not sure what it is but I just have a really bad feeling about all this."

Garcia nodded, "Creepy senses tingling? Yeah, me too. Lead the way boy wonder."

The pair skirted the dance floor and made a beeline for the open doors at the other end of the hall. Riff Raff's eyes burned into them sending goosebumps breaking out on Garcia's arms.

"Spence, why isn't he stopping us?" her voice quavered as they reached the doorway and she turned back to look.

"Because there's no way out," Reid stated bitterly staring at the contraption that blocked the way. It was a very old lift mechanism and as they stood there looking at it they could hear as it started to creak and whir to life.

"Right that's it. Enough. I've had enough," Garcia declared with a cutting motion of her hands and marched back into the dance hall. "Hey! Hey!" she yelled and to her utter astonishment the music cut off abruptly leaving her voice echoing in the silence. She rallied quickly and defiantly met the staring eyes of the room. "I'm wet and I'm cold and I'm having a really bad hair day! So can you just cut the crap and help us!" As she spoke the atmosphere in the room began to change; sickening smiles began to creep over the faces of the dancers as they started to inch slowly closer. Reid cast a quick glance at Riff Raff who was still perched by the drinks table, a self-satisfied grin plastered on his face.

"Garcia..." Reid muttered warily.

The analyst had already faltered and taken a step closer.

"What do we do Reid?"

The hairs on the back of her neck began to prickle and she slowly turned her head, giving a sharp, short lived scream. Reid spun in the same direction and took an involuntary step back in shock at the appearance of the vampire-like figure that seemed to have materialised behind them. The pale stern face broke out into a smile, blood red lips stretched across white teeth.

"How do you do? I see you've met my faithful handy man."

He brushed past them, black cloak wrapped tightly around his body, and flounced, that was really the only way to describe it, out into the dance hall. Reid and Garcia trailed behind, mouths practically handing open. The dancers formed a corridor around the master of the house and cooed in admiration as though he were some kind of celebrity.

"Now promise not to get hung up on the way I look," he called out over his shoulder as he passed between the rows of people. "After all, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover." With a spin as he reached the throne he swept off the cloak, revealing his outfit.

"Oh," Garcia blinked, "I'm not sure what I was expecting but I wasn't expecting _that_."

"A transvestite," Reid murmured, sounding incredibly reassured. "That's a relief actually." Garcia raised an eyebrow at him and he hurried on to explain. "Transvestites are not at all violent in nature." He glanced over at where Riff Raff stood, scarily still staring at them rather than at the master like everyone else. "I was beginning to have my doubts about the overall intentions of letting us in here."

"Doctor Frank ," the man himself declared, having walked back down the aisle to make introductions. He scrolled his eyes lasciviously over the pair of them and Reid felt oddly exposed.

"You are?"

"Penelope Garcia," the analyst stepped forward, offering her hand to shake. It was instead grasped and turned over, a kiss being placed on the back.

"Enchanté." Again his eyes burned over her and she felt her face flush. Without letting go of Garcia's hand he moved his eyes smoothly, expectantly onto Reid.

Reid cleared his throat nervously, uncomfortable under the scrutinising gaze. "Doctor Spencer Reid."

"A Doctor," Furter breathed huskily, "well, well. A man after my own heart."

Reid felt a blush crawling over his skin but was unsure why.

"How nice to have unexpected guests," he let go of Garcia's hand and flourished his own. "Maybe I could show you around? I'm sure you are intrigued to see my place." An amused smile spread slowly over his face. "Or we could cuddle up and watch a movie?" He winked at Reid.

"Actually, our car broke down," Reid powered on. "Our colleague Morgan is with one of your employee's trying to get a signal. Do you have a house phone?"

Reid saw Riff Raff's eyes narrow at him over Frank's shoulder but to the agent's surprise the host confirmed that they had no land line.

"Alas, this is an old building and it takes so long to get these modern appliances fitted."

Garcia's face clearly showed that she found the references to a land line as modern very confusing. Reid merely noted that Riff Raff's earlier response did not match his master's. He opened his mouth to say something to that effect but Frank had already spun away and gracefully folded himself into the throne at the end of the room. His house staff gathered around him and the party guests gazed at him adoringly.

"Why don't you stay for the night?" he purred at them and at Reid's sceptical look he quickly amended it. "Or maybe just for dinner? I would be interested to show you my current obsession." He waved his hand at the gathered masses and smirked. "They are all here for the grand unveiling of a project I have been working on for some time. I would like your opinion, as one doctor to another, if you will _indulge_ me?"

Reid looked uncertainly at Garcia. "We would have to check with Morgan..."

"Not a concern!" Frank declared, standing abruptly to his feet. "I will avail your esteemed colleague of the situation and invite him to join if he is willing." He moved over to the lift and got inside, tilting his head at Riff Raff. "Bring them up to the lab. I will be there shortly." He ran his eyes appraisingly over the two figures and Garcia felt her skin burn. "Oh, and find them some dry clothes." He gave a final predatory grin and the lift descended, leaving Garcia and Reid alone with the Handyman.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Morgan was pacing the room, alternating between holding the phone to his ear and checking the signal. The battery was running down rapidly and he was more than a little frustrated. The storm darkened the room and made it feel late, although his phone display said it was only just after six.

"Derek Morgan, I presume?"

The dulcet tones caused the agent to lift his head before recoiling a step in surprise. He recovered rapidly and offered his hand to the man in garters.

"Yes...yes, that's me. You are the person in charge here?"

Frank gave a throaty chuckle, a coy smirk gracing his lips. "The Master, yes."

Morgan wasn't sure why but he felt an uncomfortable shiver settle somewhere in his gut.

"Doctor Frank Furter," the doctor continued and shook the offered hand. "Your little friends told me you were here."

"Actually they are colleagues; FBI agents." The situation was running a little out of control. He didn't like the house, he didn't like the employees and he didn't like the man standing in front of him. Everything felt very...off. His instincts were saying something wasn't right, and since that didn't look like they were getting back-up any time soon, knowing that their guests were FBI agents might give their hosts room for pause.

Frank quirked an eyebrow, the smiling expression never leaving his face. He seemed more amused than surprised.

"But of course."

Derek waited a beat before adding, "I'd like to see my team mates."

The doctor's face took on a look of pain and he placed a hand dramatically on his chest.

"Alas my dearest Agent, that I cannot provide for you at this time. Your friends, they are fatigued with the cold and have retired to their rooms to change and rest." Morgan narrowed his eyes, and he felt his fingers twitch for his gun. "They have agreed to stay for dinner."

 _'Yeah? Under what duress?'_ he thought cynically.

"It wouldn't hurt you, Agent Morgan, to stay. You may yet be able to get through to your esteemed leaders, and at least you will have eaten."

His words were wheedling and persuasive, and Morgan had to admit the logic to them, much against his will and better judgement. He was also beginning to think that if they tried to leave the house now they were going to meet a lot of resistance. Better to pretend to go along with the whole thing and have a chance to sneak out later.

Seeing the look of resignation on the agent's face Frank pressed home his advantage.

"Splendid. Dinner will be served at nine." He glided towards the door and paused. "I wouldn't try to find your friends Agent. This is a very large house and they could have been placed in any one of the guest chambers. You might get hopelessly lost." His smile had an edge of warning to it, his tone sharper than before. "Much better to rest and wait until dinner."

Morgan merely stared at the man he was gradually beginning to profile.

"Now I must depart from you, my dear agent. I have other matters to attend to. Please," he smiled lasciviously, "make yourself at home."

The door clicked quietly shut, leaving Morgan alone with his unsettled feeling.

Garcia was still shell shocked by the fact that they had tried to take their clothes. Their sheer confidence of movement as they had begun to tug the wet dress over her head had almost meant she let them, right before common sense broke in and she scattered them with a yell. At some point they had already removed her jacket. She was relieved that Reid had refused to be separated from her and was having his own personal battle with the attempted clothing removers. Unbelievable.

Now they were in a giant circular room, with a balcony lining one wall, crowded with the crazy fans. Apparently she and Reid were special guests of honour so they got to stand on the main floor with all the random levers and the eerie mummified body in the glass tank. Lucky them.

Doctor Furter had flounced in some time ago, wearing a white lab coat, and pink rubber gloves. The lab coat she could cope with, but the pink gloves threw the whole image of scientist into the realm of mad scientist, and...was he talking about creating life?

Reid stood with his arms folded and his forehead creased in an incredulous look.

"You do not believe me, Doctor Reid?" Their host had sidled up to the agent, face expressing amusement and a superiority in the smile and the eyes.

"Honestly?" Reid raised his eyebrows and paused for a moment, before breathing out, "no."

"Fear not, unbeliever," Frank murmured quietly, before throwing his arms out in a sweeping gesture and announcing, "You will believe when you see!" He strode over to the tank holding the body and gripped the side. "Begin!"

With a great effort Riff Raff began to rotate a handle which lowered a strange contraption from the ceiling. Like a giddy child Frank darted around it, twisting dial after dial, while a rainbow of liquid poured into the tank and over the bandaged body. Liquid or...light? Garcia couldn't tell from this distance but was afraid to get any closer. Reid watched it all with a mixture of interest and distrust. After the last drop fell into the tank there was a moment of hush as the whole room held their breath, followed by a sharp intake of breath as one bandaged hand trembled and moved.

"No way," Reid interjected sharply, incredibly, and was cut a smug smouldering look by Doctor Furter.

The creature's hands gripped the edge of the tank and hauled itself into a standing position. With cautious movements Riff Raff and Doctor Furter approached, removing the head bandaged to reveal a smooth, blond face. Garcia gasped and gripped Reid's arm tightly, panicked.

"Reid, we need to get _out_ of here. Things just ricocheted way off the creepy scale."

The doctor was too busy staring at the impossibility before him to really hear her words.

"How did he...do that?" he whispered.

Frank was fawning over his great scientific success. His rubber gloved hands skimmed over the smooth muscled body as he presented the being he called Rocky to his followers. Clearly he didn't get the appropriate response as with a huff he grabbed his creation's arm and marched him over to where Reid and Garcia stood.

"Now, Penelope... _Doctor_..." the added nuance made Reid's skin crawled, "What do you think of him?"

Reid seemed at a loss for words, much to Frank's delight so Garcia jumped in.

"Well...I don't tend to like men with too many muscles..." she replied, thinking of Kevin, but adding 'except maybe Derek Morgan' in her head, but Doctor Furter's response knocked it clean out. He snarled aggressively in a way they hadn't yet seen that sent fear skating down to her toes.

"I didn't make him for you!" He marched the blond over to a set of beautiful weights. "He carries the Charles Atlas seal of approval." Rocky picked up some of the weights and beamed at them with almost childish delight. "I mean look at that chin," Frank continued, "and that chest." He ran a finger suggestively down the length of Rocky's body and Garcia found herself looking away, a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. The childlike expression on the creation's face seared into her brain.

"Does he even know what is going on?" she whispered to Reid, her voice thick with tears.

Reid was feeling a similar unease. Whether Rocky was created or whether it had all been a trick was irrelevant. There was an innocence in his eyes that made him feel uncomfortable watching this.

A deep bleeping noise shattered their whispers. All heads turned to the red flashing light above the door labelled 'Deep Freeze'. The door creaked and rumbled before it descended with a crash. Frank yelled as he dived out of the way, almost being drowned out as another voice shouted "Eddie!"

Garcia gripped Reid's arm even tighter as a motorcycle roared into the room.

"Reid, are you seeing this?" she hissed.

Spence narrowed his eyes at the leather clad rider with a blood stained gash in his forehead.

"I'm not sure," he replied slowly.

The rider flung his glasses one way and his helmet another as he swung himself off the bike and looked around the room. Reid noticed that Frank glared at the newcomer with undisguised disgust. With slow measured steps Eddie approached Rocky and gave him a look up and down appraisingly before turning to look at Reid and Garcia and doing the same. Garcia couldn't help but feel the magnetism drawing her to the leather clad motorcyclist. The rest of the room seemed to feel it too, if their frozen appearance and looks of wonder were anything to go by. The girl who had screamed his name originally, Columbia she remembered, now threw herself at him and he spun her in his arms, kissing her so graphically that Garcia felt she had to look away. The word groupie came to mind.

"Good to see you too Baby," he crooned at her, before looking back at Doctor Furter, his face becoming a sneer. "Nice party you've got going on here Doc. Pity I had to crash it."

Frank tried to look dismissive and bored but Reid could see the tension in his jaw and gleam in his eyes. "Now really," he chastised, clearly with effort. "Is this any way to behave?"

Eddie ignored him and put Columbia to one side. He straddled his motorcycle and revved the engine, looking over at Rocky again with an edge in his eyes.

"Nice job."Rocky beamed at him excitedly and Eddie scrolled his eyes back to Furter. "Maybe when you're done with him I'll have a go."

Now the façade on Doctor Furter's face completely crumbled and pure fury seared from his gaze. Reid felt a pang of fear deep in his gut and began to reach for his weapon until he realised it wasn't there and dropped his hand helplessly. Meanwhile Eddie revved his engine again and with a squeal of tyres ploughed straight into the crowd of onlookers. With screams and yells they leapt to one side, some hanging over the edge of the overlooking platform in an attempt to get out of the way. With a whoop Eddie pulled his Bike to a stop back where he started and yanked Columbia into his arms again.

Garcia watched it all with equal parts fascination and confusion. Everything was in chaos with shouts and yells of fear and squeals of delight. The noise may have been why she wasn't aware of what was happening until it was almost over. It was all so fast she had no time to react. One moment everything was fine and then Doctor Furter was approaching Eddie with a pick axe, a maniacal smile on his face. Even then she still didn't realise what was going on; even when Eddie started to scream and crawl away along the floor. It was the girlfriend's screams that eventually reached her ears and the reality of what was happening hit her in the gut.

"Garcia!" The Pick axe fell and Reid grabbed her, turning her face into his body before she could see it cut through flesh. She heard it though. The slick and thunk; over and over until the screams ceased and only the girlfriend's whimpers could be heard. She felt Reid's tense posture and finally looked up into his face. One arm was still around her, keeping her from looking but the other was clenched at his side, hovering over the empty holster, like he had tried to draw his weapon. His eyes were haunted.

"I thought you said transvestites were gentle and non-violent," she croaked in shock.

"I did," Reid returned, white-faced, "I don't think he's a transvestite. Not really."

"Spence...what do we do?" Her voice faltered as she looked at the grim expression on the young agent's face.

"Nothing," he whispered hoarsely, "we can do nothing." His eyes turned away from the sickening sight of blood on ice and locked onto Penelope's. "We have to find Morgan."

"And now my lovely," Doctor Frank announced to the blond, muscled creation, "you shall be wholly mine. No further distractions." He switched so quickly from murder to seduction that the bottom dropped out of Garcia's stomach as she realised that she was face-to-face with one of the very monsters the team battled everyday. Frank linked his arm through Rocky's in a possessive grasp and proceeded to march him towards an archway, through which they could see a bed with silk, wine coloured sheets and thick curtains. Garcia felt her lips tremble and she pressed her hand to them. The creature, whatever he was, was so childlike, she couldn't help but think there was something really, really wrong here.

"Reid," she yelped. "We have to do something!"

The couple marching towards the bedroom suddenly halted as Frank's head slowly swivelled to fix her with a piercing look. His eyes chilled her blood.

"Riff Raff," he ordered and merely inclined his head towards the two agents before continuing his march. Her gaze was so fixated on the retreating figures that she missed what happened next.

Suddenly Reid's voice was in her ear, "Morgan will find us," he hissed, "wait for Morgan," and then his presence by her side was gone.

"Reid?" she began to turn but strong hands grabbed her arms and propelled her away. Frantically she twisted her neck to call for Reid again but he was similarly being forced in the opposite direction.

"What are you doing?" she shouted at the two individuals who held her as they steered her out of the doors and down several corridors. Before long Garcia could no longer tell which way they'd come as they stopped at a door and shoved her through. The door slammed behind her and the lock clicked. She was alone.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Hello to those people following this story! I hope you are enjoying it.**

* * *

Chapter 4

It was dark when the voice woke her, but couldn't have been more than just past late evening.

"Penelope?"

"Derek?" The technician sat up in her loaned bed as her favourite agent slipped through the door that she was sure her captors had locked. He must have found a key. "Oh thank God you're here!" The room she'd found herself in earlier had only bare furnishings; a bed and a table and not much else. With nothing else to do but what Reid had said she propped herself up on the bed to wait. She must've dozed off. "You don't know how good it is to hear your dulcet tones my wonderful Morgan!"

"This place is pretty messed up, huh?"

She could see his silhouette in the dark but not much more than that. An intuitive shiver hit her gut, the same one that had told her not to go out with the random handsome stranger who had ended up shooting her.

"I've seen freakier things," she weakly joked back.

Morgan began to walk towards the bed and she felt her insides freeze.

"What are you doing?" a tremor of panic threaded through her words.

"You are very beautiful Penelope Garcia."

Her hand slipped under her pillow.

"Oh, I know that," she returned lightly, "but now is neither the time or the place for you to express your revelation of this rather obvious fact."

He took the final step towards the bed.

"What time or place could be better?" he purred in a distinctly un-Morgan-like way, just as Garcia pulled out the pepper spray and hit him square in the eyes.

The scream that emitted from the intruder was also un-Morgan-like and as he staggered backwards, hand clutched to his eyes, a wig of some description tumbled to the floor, releasing a mop of unruly hair.

"My creepy senses _were_ tingling," she muttered, taking the opportunity to get the hell out of the room. By the time Frank recovered she was long gone.

Morgan snapped into alertness the instant his door began to open in the darkness.

"Who is it?" he demanded, his hand slipping under his pillow.

"Morgan, Morgan, its just me. They told me where to find you."

Derek relaxed a fraction.

"Reid, what do you think you're doing creeping around like that?"

Reid hesitated just inside the room before replying.

"I was worried about you. We hadn't seen you for so long that I thought..."

Morgan breathed a sigh out through his nose and removed his hand from under the pillow.

"Well, as you have discovered, I'm fine." He waited for the reassurance to sink in and for Reid to react accordingly. The shadow of the doctor merely sidled closer to the bed.

"I'm scared Morgan." Reid sat down on the bed. "Will you protect me?"He began to lean over.

It took Morgan a full second to comprehend what was happening, and less than that for his gun to be in his hand. With a startled yelp the intruder jerked backwards and fell off the bed, a wig tumbling to the floor.

"I knew it," Morgan muttered, slowly disentangling himself from the bed sheets, whilst keeping his gun levelled at the intruder. "Doctor Furter, do not move or I will..." a section of bed sheet tangled up and tripped him in the dark. Morgan stumbled and recovered quickly but Furter had already fled the room.

Reid was sitting in a corner of his own room on the only chair it possessed. For some reason the lights didn't seem to be working so he'd rifled through his satchel until he'd found the item he was looking for. The small wind up light was incredibly handy, particularly in situations where he found himself unable to read because it was too dark, such as the back seat of an SUV at night. He was sure his captors intended him to sleep but he was resolutely set against that outcome. There appeared to be a bookcase in this room; because he was also a doctor he wondered. Reading the selection of books that Frank had designed to be in his room might give him some insight into the mind of the murderer, particularly if the man felt they were kindred spirits on some level. He was roused from the book he was perusing by a noise at the door of a key turning. He lifted his eyes as the handle dipped and the door creaked open.

Morgan inched his way down the corridor, gun at the ready, wall at his back. He knew that you couldn't arrest someone for dressing up like another person and trying to have sex with you but it sure as hell was creepy and Morgan wasn't taking any chances.

A figure in the corridor up ahead made him hold his position cautiously until he recognised the silhouette.

"Garcia?"

The technician visibly jumped and spun, brandishing a pepper spray in his face. "Don't come any closer," she warned.

Morgan's forehead creased with a worried frown and he moved the gun he was training on her to point skyward.

"Hey, Baby Girl, it's just me."

Garcia looked at him suspiciously.

"What is my boyfriend's name?"

"Garcia..." he tried to take a soothing step forward but she jabbed the spray at him.

"Answer the question."

"Kevin," Morgan uttered quietly, "his name is Kevin." He kept a wary eyes on the pepper spray.

"What was it you called me when I dyed my hair?"

Morgan thought back a moment, "Red. I called you Red.." He looked at her pleadingly. "Garcia..."

"One last question," she said it breathlessly, desperately. "What happened the only time you've ever shouted at me?"

Morgan lowered his hands, his face sad as he remembered; the fear, the helplessness, the driving anger.

"I'd just seen a good man, a good cop, killed in front of my eyes and his family's. I made a promise to protect his daughter and the killer had taken her. She was only nine years old."

Garcia let out a strangled sob and threw herself into his arms. Morgan held her comfortably until she could step back. He listened to her whisper over and over, "it is you, thank God, it is you," until he made the connection.

"Did he hurt you?" There was ice in his voice and fire in his eyes and he felt his insides crumble in relief as Garcia shook her head with a weak smile. She tilted the pepper spray back and forth.

"Never leave home without one."

Morgan allowed a small smile before it faded.

"What have I missed?"

The memory surged to the front of her mind and she clasped her hand to her mouth as she gasped.

"Oh God...Morgan! He killed someone!"

His eyes glinted. "What?"

"With a pick axe," the horror of the memory spilled out in a rush. "He hit him with a pick axe." Her hands began to tremble around the pepper spray. "There was nothing we could do. Nothing Reid could do." A new thought struck her as she breathed, eyes wide. "Reid!"

"I should have killed the bastard when I had the chance," Morgan muttered. The gun was out again as Morgan cast a glance down the corridor at his back.

"Reid!" Garcia repeated but Morgan wasn't listening, his eyes darting up and down the corridor.

"Do you know for sure that he's dead?"

"Yes...I mean no..." Garcia tripped over her words as her revelation struggled out, "we didn't have time...but Reid, Morgan!"

The urgency in her voice drew his eyes back to her and then the penny dropped.

"Which way did they take him?"

Garcia could only shake her head wordlessly. Morgan swore and gripped her arm urgently.

"Garcia, find somewhere safe. I will come back and find you." With that he set off down the corridor. "Keep that pepper spray on you," he called over his shoulder.

Garcia, left on her own again in the dark, couldn't hep whisper in black humour, "Ten bucks says Mr Creepy looks like you."

Reid was feeling distinctly unnerved as the alleged Doctor Frank planted his arms against the wall both sides of Reid's head and leaned in.

"I'm not...erm...I'm not..." Reid stammered slightly, shrinking back until he could feel the burn of fabric against his skin where it dragged, "I'm not...entirely comfortable...with this."

Frank pouted at him with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"That's what they all say to start with," he murmured seductively, giving a low chuckle. He moved closer until his forehead pressed lightly to Reid's, the lip-sticked smirk contrasting to the worried grimace. "They always end up changing their minds."

Reid's forehead creased. "No...I don't think..." His words were cut off by a pair of slick lips closing over his own.

"Get – the hell – off him."

Two pairs of eyes, one incredibly relieved and the other irked swivelled to fix on Morgan standing in the doorway.

"Why, Agent Morgan," Doctor Furter breathed in amusement, "I didn't know you cared."

"I said get away from him," Morgan took a step forward into the room and drew his gun, "or I _will_ shoot you."

Frank gave a throaty chuckle, "Now agent, you know you can't shoot someone for indulging in a little _intimacy._ " The words caressed Reid's skin and he grimaced.

"I can if you are assaulting an FBI agent." Morgan's gaze met Doctor Furter's down the length of his gun but the doctor merely raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

"I can assure you agent," he placed a hand on Reid's cheek, "Doctor Reid is entirely consenting to this little tête-à-tête."

"Actually..." Reid piped up and Frank turned a burning gaze of irritation onto him, "I'm not."

"Doctor Reid, you cut me to the heart!"

"You heard the kid Furter. Step away."

Frank let go of Reid with both hands simultaneously, his eyebrows raised.

"Are you going to cuff me, Agent Morgan?" His voice still held that breathy quality that took Morgan back to a dark place in his adolescence. His finger twitched on the trigger.

"Morgan, don't." Reid had manoeuvred himself away from his assailant and laid a hand on Derek's arm. Frank smirked knowingly.

"Just a little misunderstanding agent, that's all."

Derek hesitated a moment longer before lowering the gun.

"You and I need to have a very long chat," he muttered dangerously, just as alarms sounded out across the house, causing Reid to jump.

"Master," a disembodied voice drifted out across the house. "The creature has escaped. I will release the dogs."

Frank's face turned into a mask of fury so fleetingly Reid might have thought he imagined it before it turned back into a forced smile.

"I would love to have that discussion with you right now, my delectable Morgan, but as you hear, duty calls."

Morgan holstered the gun and gestured to the door. "Lead the way." Again the look of annoyance crossed their host's face before he masked it, and holding his chin high, glided out the door.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Garcia somehow found herself back in the main laboratory, precisely where she didn't want to be. She shuddered as she walked past the now shut 'Deep Freeze', her shoes clicking on the floor and echoing eerily around the room. Her eyes were drawn to a television set in the wall and she gasped at the image. Doctor Furter had Reid pressed up rather intimately against the wall. Her heart fluttered in trepidation as she remembered the same creep in her bedroom not long since, but the anxiety didn't last long as Morgan burst into the room.

Now Garcia let herself smile and whispered, "My hero." Her eyes tracked back to the irked looking Furter and she gave a small noise of surprise. "He went as himself, not Morgan." She shook her head. "Bad move."

She was wrenched from watching the show by a small whimper nearby. Her stomach clenched as she brandished the pepper spray in front of her.

"Who's there?" Her voice quavered slightly and she swallowed hard, trying to steady it. The sheet in the birthing tank moved and she swung her arm in that direction, trying not to tremble. If it were that creepy Riff Raff she was going to kick him where it would _really_ hurt and then run like hell in the opposite direction.

The sheet moved again and slipped slightly to the side revealing the small, frightened face of Rocky. He whimpered again and cowered. The pepper spray went away in an instant.

"Oh, you poor thing," she cooed. "Come out, I won't hurt you." She approached cautiously, like he were a scared puppy, and he emerged cautiously from his hiding place. "Oh! You're hurt!" She noticed the scratches on his hand, made by some animal, and what looked like chaff marks from chains around his wrists. "Let me help you."

Morgan and Reid followed Furter through the corridors of the house. At some point they had come across Riff Raff who had been grabbed and was now being shoved mercilessly ahead of Frank as the master of the house berated his servant loudly for letting his creation escape, and more quietly over what Morgan suspected as being the matter of one the guests having a gun. That gun he still held securely in his hand, although now down at his side.

They reached the main laboratory, which appeared empty and Furter turned back to them with an ingratiating smirk.

"Looks like I can't help you gentlemen. _Penelope_ isn't here."

The intonation on her name was all it took for Morgan to take three paces forward and put the gun in Frank's face.

"Here is how it's going to work," he said slowly and dangerously. "You are going to find Garcia in one piece and unharmed. She is going to join us and then _we_ are going to leave without any further problems. Are we clear?"

Doctor Furter smiled silkily. "Of course Agent." His eyes jumped to a television screen set in the wall and he gave a yelp of surprise at the image. Reid's eyes followed Furter's and he too gave a small gasp.

"Gideon!"

"What?" Morgan lowered the weapon and stared at the screen as well.

Frank's face transformed instantly to one of narrowed eyes, and a dangerous lilt to his voice.

"What do you know of Gideon, Doctor Reid?"

Spencer was still bewitched by the image on the screen and didn't pick up on the tension.

"Gideon was on our team..."

"Enough Reid," Morgan cut him off but the damage had been done.

"How very interesting..." Furter breathed, "...maybe we should invite him up."

They watched on screen as Gideon looked around nonchalantly and the door in front of him swung open.

"Why don't you come on up Agent Gideon?" Frank spoke into some sort of speaker system that echoed down to where Gideon stood. "I have some people here who would _love_ to see you." The ex-agent looked directly into the camera and frowned but stepped through the doorway.

The wait was tense. Nobody said anything. Morgan kept his eyes on Furter, gun still in his hand but no longer pointing threateningly. Reid was lost in his own thoughts, still staring at the now empty screen. Everyone forgot about the elusive Riff Raff who had taken the opportunity to sidle to the edge of the room and position himself next to a giant lever.

The main doors at the top of the balcony swung open and Gideon strolled in, pausing in the entrance, his eyebrows lifting in surprise at the other guests.

"Gideon," Reid whispered with emotion.

"Morgan? Reid?" Gideon's own voice was disbelieving.

None of the trained agents noticed Furter gesture to Riff Raff, who wrenched down the lever he had been standing by.

"What the...?" Morgan exclaimed as the gun was wrenched out of his hands and slammed into the giant magnet, swiftly followed by a second clang, that of Gideon's weapon.

"Now gentlemen," Frank breathed huskily, "that's a little bit more even, don't you agree?"

The two current and one former agent cast each other looks that clearly communicated the dangerous situation that they were in.

"Now," Doctor Furter continued, "to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit Agent Gideon?" His voice sounded polite but there was a clear undertone of malevolence.

Gideon stood calmly at the top of the balcony, his eyes drifting between the agents that stood there, lingering the longest on Spencer, before again moving back to Doctor Furter.

"I'm here looking for Eddie."

Reid gasped and opened his mouth but was silenced by a solid hand dropping onto his shoulder. He looked quizzically at Morgan who lightly shook his head and glanced warningly over Reid's shoulder. The Doctor didn't need to turn around to feel Furter's gaze burning his back and he nodded in understanding to Morgan. They were weapon-less and in an extremely dangerous situation with a volatile unsub. They had to be careful.

"What do you know about Eddie, Agent Gideon?" Frank's tone was light and enquiring but Reid could hear the warning.

"Eddie is my nephew."

Reid felt his heart give a nasty lurch of shock and his throat dry up.

"This does not look good," a different voice muttered and they spun around to see Garcia standing between the curtains in the opening of the bedchamber, one hand clasped to her mouth as she realised she'd spoken out loud, the other holding the hand of Rocky.

"Rocky!"

"Garcia!"

Doctor Furter's tone was furious, Morgan's was just shocked. Frightened by Frank's tone Penelope took a step back and squeezed Rocky's hand harder. In response the creature took a step in front of her.

"Rocky!" Frank exclaimed again.

Morgan cast his eyes quickly over the scene and applied common sense, now the initial shock had worn off. He saw the maniacal glint of envy in their host's eyes and took several steps to his colleague, effectively getting between her and the murderer.

"Baby girl, what is going on?"

Garcia took a few steps forward into the hall, gently bringing Rocky with her.

"He was hurt," she said quietly and gestured to his now bandaged hands. "I wrapped them up." She met Frank 's murderous gaze over Morgan's shoulder and felt anger swell inside her. "Someone _hurt_ him." She looked back at Morgan and then at the bedroom. "We heard people coming and hid. We didn't..." she pulled a face and Morgan got the gist.

"Okay, I believe you," he jerked his head in Furter's direction, "good luck convincing _him_."

Garcia saw the expression on the scientist's face and she shuddered, before a different figure caught her eye.

"Is that Gideon?" she gasped.

"Yeah," Morgan murmured back and drew her closer to himself and Reid. Gideon descended slowly from the balcony, Reid never taking his eyes off his former mentor, as though he would vanish again.

Garcia looked across at her distracted friend and lowered her voice.

"Reid you have lipstick on your..." she tapped her own lightly and with a bright flush the agent ran a hand across his mouth just as Gideon joined them.

"Isn't this nice?" the former agent smiled as he joined them, his manner seemingly relaxed. "What's the plan now then Doctor Furter?"

Their host finally tore his eyes from burning holes in Garcia and onto the most recent guest. His lips stretched into a smile that was all teeth.

The menacing silence that followed was broken by an announcement from Magenta at the main doors.

"Dinner is served!"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Dinner was completely silent. Garcia could hear the soft, inevitable tick of a clock in the background. The air was heavy to breathe. Every so often Frank would cut her a piercing glare, which under normal circumstances she would have returned, she hadn't done anything wrong after all, the man was paranoid, but for the small matter that he had horribly, cold-bloodedly killed someone. She didn't really want to rile him up. Magenta wheeled in a tray on which sat a slab of meat, Riff Raff following behind her. The squeak of the wheels seemed unnaturally loud in the thick air. She glanced across at Reid who sat opposite but his eyes were fixated on Gideon. She couldn't read their expression. Morgan sat next to Reid, closest to Frank, and opposite Rocky. Gideon sat at the opposite to Doctor Furter, at the bottom of the table.

Magenta smacked the food down in front of Doctor Furter, the sound making everyone jump and look towards their host in time to see the maid hand him an electric carving knife.

Garcia's heart leapt in her chest. Morgan was on his feet in an instant, hand reaching for the gun he no longer had. Frank cocked an eyebrow.

"Relax Agent Morgan," he purred huskily, and fired it up.

The whine filled Garcia with dread as he dragged it through the meat, baring his teeth at her and Gideon in turns, fixing them with his eyes. The threat was obvious.

Only once the machine was turned off and laid to the side did Morgan finally sit down. The meat was dropped in front of them unceremoniously.

Frank stood up and raised his glass.

"A toast," they each gave the others at the table wary looks and put hands on their mismatched glasses and pitchers, "to absent friends."

There seemed to be a general consensus around the table that playing along was the best option.

"To absent friends," they echoed, only Reid managing to say it clearly, which earned him an appraising look from their host. Morgan muttered it and Garcia felt her throat close up, barely managing to choke the words out. Gideon said nothing.

"Now, Rocky," Frank looked at his creation and held his hand out to Riff Raff expectantly. The manservant slapped a party hat into it, which Frank snapped onto his head.

Garcia felt nauseous; the bright colours and innocence of a birthday party forever corrupted in the image of a paper hat on a killer's head.

"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Rocky..."

There was a disjointed joining in from the rest of the BAU, to varying degrees of volume, none of them enthusiastic. Furter cut them off before the song was ended and abruptly took his seat. He surveyed them all with relish.

"Please, eat," he said courteously, making it sound less like a command but nonetheless making Garcia's skin crawl. Rocky tucked in with gusto. She almost yelled 'don't' but Doctor Furter's eyes were pining her mouth shut. Her hand drifted towards her fork although her brain shouted not to touch the food. Furter's penetrating eyes never left her own. The warmth of a hand stilling hers on the fork made her finally look away. Gideon's gaze was kindly and calm.

"Don't eat it."

Frank's eyes swivelled to his new target and he scowled. Gideon looked back at him undeterred. Garcia glanced across the table at Morgan and Reid, whose plates also remained uneaten. Reid was still watching his old mentor as though he would vanish again. Morgan was watching their host, waiting for an opportunity.

"We came here to discuss Eddie."

Garcia gave a little gasp at the name of the victim and Gideon squeezed her hand briefly, reassuringly, before withdrawing it.

Frank gave a himself a small smile and carefully cut up his food, chewing a swallowing deliberately before answering the question, his focus still on his food.

"That's rather a tender subject." He raised his head and gave Gideon a level look. "Care for another slice."

It took her minute, only a minute, and then she snatched her hands back from the table.

"Oh my God."

Opposite her Reid had turned very pale, and beside him Morgan had gone still. Only Rocky remained eating and again Garcia wanted to reach out and knock the plate away from him. Again she didn't dare.

Gideon had not moved.

"Eddie sent me a letter," he said it very slowly, very controlled. "It was a warning, asking me to come here and help him." He pulled the letter out of his pocket and laid it on the table. Frank's nostrils flared and he was clearly agitated. His eyes were wide and glaring.

Gideon held the stare for a long moment before speaking.

"Where is Eddie, Frank?"

Now Frank grinned, slowly and chillingly. It was all teeth; amusement and malice.

"You want to know where Eddie is Former Agent Gideon?" He wrenched on the table cloth, sending plates and cutlery flying. Food scattered all over the floor but nobody noticed. All eyes were pined to the glass topped coffin they had been using as a table. Eddie lay inside, sliced open and butchered.

Everyone moved at once; Reid, Morgan and Garcia all jumping to their feet.

Reid's eyes were fixated on the mess of the corpse of the man that he had seen murdered. He had to rapidly look away, shutting his eyes against the image that he would never be able to forget.

Morgan swore loudly and made to lunge at the murderer, ignoring his original instinct to wait for his moment. Frank took a step back and put his hand on the still warm carving knife, a dare in his eyes. The agent pulled himself up short, breathing hard; his teeth gritted and muscles a knot as he tried to restrain himself. The look in Furter's eyes whispered 'Good boy' and Morgan glared at him murderously.

Garcia staggered back from the table, a half-sob, half-scream escaping from her mouth before she pressed her hand firmly against it. Seeing her distress Rocky lumbered to his feet and strode over, wrapping his arms tightly around her as she pressed her face into his shoulder. Now Furter's attention was diverted from Morgan and his grip tightened on the knife as he saw his creation, made just for him, embracing another.

Only Gideon remained in his seat, his eyes staring almost sightlessly down at his nephew, his face grim. "No matter where I go," he muttered, "there are always monsters."

"Oh Rocky!" Furter was on his feet, staggering to his creation and wrenching him from Garcia. "How could you?" he snarled back at Rocky before slapping Garcia around the face.

"Garcia!" Reid and Morgan both shouted and Gideon started up out of his seat.

Penelope was never one to take any kind of violence against her, and equally she was never so stupid to challenge a psychotic killer. She turned and ran and with bared teeth Furter followed. Morgan was the quickest of the agents in the room as he moved to pursue but found his way barred by a smirking Riff Raff. Magenta was screeching with laughter behind him.

"Get out of the way before I knock you down," Morgan growled dangerously.

Reid was the closest and reached the other side of the table just as Garcia cleared the doors and before Frank could. Determinedly he stood in the way and slowed the doctor just enough to give Garcia a head start.

"Stop," he stated calmly and Frank drew up short.

"Do not concern yourself with this Doctor Reid," Frank snarled as he knocked Spencer aside into the wall and tore out the room after Garcia.

"Reid!" Morgan shouted as he got past Riff Raff, but Reid waved him on, wheezing slightly.

"I'm fine, go. Go!"

Penelope didn't know where she was going. All she could hear was the pant of her breath and the scream of her mind to run as fast as she bloody well could...and then she could hear the smack of a pair of pursuing stilettos.

Furter caught up with her halfway up the stairs, pining her to the barrier with a leer, hands gripping her wrists. He pressed himself against her, forcing his face into her own.

"You'd better wise-up Penelope Garcia."

She stilled for a second and then kneed him hard. Frank yelled and stumbled backwards.

"Got it," she muttered and kept running.

The bodily harm, along with trying the ridiculous feat of running in those shoes, kept the distance between them, but as she reached the top of the stairs she knew he was closing the gap. Fortunately so was Morgan.

Garcia crashed through a huge pair of double doors and realised with a curse that she was back in the laboratory again. She didn't have time to regret it long as Frank exploded through the doors behind her. No where left to run she backed away slowly, hand fumbling in her pocket for the pepper spray. Furter eyes gleamed strangely, his hair wild from the chase, as he advanced.

"Frank, if you hurt her..." the voice rang out clear from the top of the stairs, and there Morgan stood like an avenging angel.

Furter's eyes moved from Garcia and alighted with amusement on the agent.

"You'll do what Agent Morgan?" he smiled tauntingly.

Garcia pulled her arm up to hit him in the face with her pepper spray but she didn't have time to press the trigger before everything went dark.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N Thank you to all those who are reading, following and reviewing this. It is good to know that somebody is enjoying it =) We are now nearing the end. This is the penultimate chapter. Enjoy!**

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Chapter 7

Reid came around with startling clarity. He had never before, when unconscious, suddenly woke up so abruptly that it left him feeling dizzy and nauseous. If he had been unconscious at all a small part of his genius mind whispered; he couldn't remember being knocked out and there was no pain in his head. He'd just arrived in the laboratory with Gideon via the lift to see Garcia about to hit Frank with the pepper spray and then that was it. Reid shut his eyes again to try and quell the nausea and as he did so became aware that parts of his body were cold that shouldn't be and his face itched. He had been propped up on a chair in a sitting position but his hands and feet didn't seen to be restrained in any way. He opened his eyes more slowly and looked first around the space in front of him. He appeared to be on a stage with what would have been the audience to his left and a swimming pool to his right. Opposite him he spotted Garcia and Gideon also sat on chairs and a quick glance to his side registered Morgan. They all appeared to be in the same stage of waking up that he was, which meant that they all realised what they were wearing at the same moment. Reid blinked across at Garcia and he gasped in shock before scrolling his eyes over each of the BAU and then down to himself. They were all wearing the same identical outfit. Long gloves up to their elbows of mismatched colours, a feather bower wrapped around their necks, but more horrifyingly tight black corsets laced up at the front covered in sequins, black leather underwear and sheer black tights held up with garters.

"This is all shades of creepy," he heard Garcia mutter.

"Reid," Morgan croaked from beside him. There was a panicked look in his eyes, much more so than in any of the others. Reid could see him struggling with the obvious conclusion to be drawn from this, that while they were unconscious they had been stripped and re-dressed. There was a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead and he was fighting his bonds desperately.

"Morgan, you need to breathe. Breathe." Reid whispered soothingly, noticing as he did so that unlike himself, Morgan had been tied to the chair. "You can't think about it now." Morgan cast Reid a furious look, but the calm logic in the young agent's eyes settled him slightly, enough to keep control.

"Reid," he said finally, and the agent nodded, "you have white make-up on your face. You look like a clown."

Spencer raised his eyebrows.

"Back atcha."

They were interrupted by the appearance of their host. He swept onto the stage resplendent in the same outfit they all wore except his corset was red.

"Now my lovelies," he announced, "it is time." He gestured to the wings of the stage and Columbia and Rocky clipped their way out on high heels, wearing the same outfits again. Their eyes were dazed as they shimmied up to their Master and draped their arms over him, pausing in that position as Frank cast his eyes over his bound audience.

"Unfortunately not all of you made the cut," he had a false sadness to his tone. "Doctor Reid," his voice and gaze turned sultry, "the man after my own heart. If you would be so kind as to join me." He opened his hand in Reid's direction and the doctor felt the overwhelming compulsion to do as he was told. He was on his feet before Morgan could hiss, "Reid, what are you doing, man?" It was the stilettos on his feet however that brought him to his senses. He hadn't realised they were there until he tried to stand and then they became an almost insurmountable barrier to any movements he cared to make. Doctor Furter grimaced at his lack of grace but turned his attention to Garcia.

"You," he sneered, his dislike of the technician written all over his face. "You shall also take part," his distaste at having to ask her was clear. "Personal preferences must be disregarded in the name of symmetry."

Two girls and two guys, Reid noted as Garcia got to her feet, more easily than he had. Morgan and Gideon were clearly going to be made to watch...whatever this was.

"It's show time," Frank breathed in delight. "Time to give yourself over to absolute pleasure." Reid felt something cold and hard like fear in his stomach. He could see the same expression that he was sure was on his face on Garcia's.

"Don't dream it," Frank whispered invitingly to them, "be it!" He held out inviting arms to them and they began to approach slowly, unwillingly...

The doors at the end of the hall opened with a crash making everyone jump and Doctor Furter freeze.

"It's all over Frank N. Furter!"

Riff Raff stood in the doorway, trussed up in clothes that looked like they had come from an old Sci fi movie. Wide shoulder pads, spiked at the end, sat on top of what looked like a gold scaled breast plate that came down as almost a dress. Underneath Reid could see garters. Magenta stood behind her brother wearing a similar outfit. Gone was the hunched back and grovelling servitude. This was a man who was confident and in charge; most of that impression however may have come from, what Reid could only assume was, a gun in his silver gloved hand. Reid stared at the weapon uncomprehendingly. It was shaped like a three pronged fork and he only guessed it was a weapon because of the way Riff Raff had it pointing at his former boss, and the utter fear in Frank's eyes.

"Your mission is a failure. Your lifestyle is too extreme."

"That's an understatement," Garcia whispered but Magenta shot her a look and her mouth snapped shut.

"I'm the new commander," Riff Raff continued, "and you are now my prisoner. We are returning to Transylvania tonight."

Frank stood with a strange look on his face, a mixture of betrayal and sadness.

"What the hell is going on here?" Morgan muttered.

Riff Raff turned searing eyes in their direction.

"Silence!"

"I think it's a coup," Reid returned, deliberately making sure he didn't look at his colleague.

"A coup of what?" Morgan snapped in frustration. "What is it that everyone thinks is going on here?"

"I said silence!" Riff Raff swung the gun at them both and they went quiet. "Go prepare the transport," Riff Raff told Magenta and she was just turning to leave when Frank called out.

"Wait I can explain!" His voice was desperate and pleading.

Magenta halted and exchanged a look with her brother that to Reid clearly said 'let's humour him, it might be amusing' but in no way suggested hope or mercy. Frank obviously didn't see the significant pause in the same way and whispered something to both Rocky and Columbia. Columbia climbed up onto a platform and focused a spotlight on Furter, while Rocky changed the backdrop to the stage.

Frank stood in the middle of the spotlight almost shyly, like a naughty child, his hands clasped together, tears in his eyes, and began singing.

" _On the day I went away... goodbye..._

 _Was all I had to say... now I..._

 _I want to come again and stay... Oh my my..._

 _Smile, and that will mean that I may."_

There was something bewitching about their tormentor, something that drew them all in despite what he had done, and Reid found himself staring in awe at Frank, feeling a roll of emotions...feeling _sorry_ for him. He didn't know what made him drag his eyes away from the performance, but he found himself suddenly looking at Riff Raff and Magenta instead. The look of amusement had not left the former Handyman's face and the former Maid was yawning widely. Frank didn't seem to have noticed. As he began to clip his way down the stage steps and the aisle through the audience Reid felt with a sudden instinctive feeling that he knew what was going to happen next.

" _I'm going home, I'm going home."_ A silence fell as Frank finished his song and waved as to an imaginary audience, bowing, draped in a black gauze scarf he had acquired.

"How sentimental," Magenta broke the silence with a sneer, sounding bored. Frank looked at her startled and then frightened.

"...and also presumptuous of you." Riff Raff added with a smirk, advancing down the aisle to Furter, who flinched back from the weapon. "You see when I said we were returning to Transylvania I referred only to Magenta and myself." He aimed the gun straight at Frank's chest as the man backed away in fear towards the stage. "I'm sorry however if you found my words misleading but, you see, you are to remain here. In spirit anyway."

"What _is_ that?" Reid muttered to himself, squinting at the strangely shaped gun again, curiosity overriding caution.

"I believe it's a laser."Reid jumped slightly, his eyes flying to Gideon who had spoken, calmly and matter-of-factly. Riff Raff swivelled his eyes to the ex-agent.

"Yes, Agent Gideon, a laser capable of emitting a beam of pure antimatter."

Gideon raised his eyebrows incredulously but said nothing. A weapon able to kill someone was a weapon, regardless of what the handler believed it would shoot.

"You mean," Garcia choked out shakily, "you're going to kill him?"

Riff Raff just raised his eyebrows at her, smiling greasily.

"You can't," she protested, "there needs to be a trial and stuff..." she trailed off weakly, seeking reassurance from her fellow BAU colleagues.

"Garcia," Morgan stated, almost wearily, a definite tone of command in his voice, "don't get involved." Garcia stared at him in shock but Riff Raff smiled approvingly.

"Wise words Agent Morgan." He turned his attention back to the quivering doctor Furter, "Now your time has come. Say goodbye to all this and hello to oblivion."

There was a scream from behind them and Riff Raff spun, shooting what indeed did look like a laser from his gun. The scream cut off as Columbia crumpled to the floor.

Now Morgan was yelling and trying to get to his feet, struggling against the bonds. Garcia stood with her hands clutched to her mouth to stifle the scream that was trying to force past her lips.

Frank had taken the opportunity to flee. All poise and decorum vanished in fear and a bid for self-preservation. Suddenly he was reduced to tears and shouts and whimpers as he scrambled away desperately, tripping over his heels and crawling along the floor. Riff Raff stalked after him, able to kill him multiples of times but instead playing with him, a smirk of enjoyment on his face that made Reid feel sick. It was like watching a car crash. They were unarmed and unable to step in. In desperation Frank grasped at the curtain at the back of the stage and tried jerkily to climb it. Riff Raff waited until he was half way up before shooting him squarely in the back.

Frank jerked once and then fell to the floor with a crash, the curtain fluttering after him in a shroud. There was a moment of stunned silence and then a roar of rage.

Rocky came charging up from the side of the stage. He'd lost his heels at some point and now threw himself to the ground by his (alleged) creator roaring and whimpering in turns as he touched Frank's face and tried to shake him awake.

Reid instinctively looked again at the man with the gun. Riff Raff's face was fixed in the same leering smirk as he once again aimed the gun and Rocky growled in his face. Garcia followed Reid's eyes and saw the same thing he saw.

"No!" she yelled and made to run to Rocky.

"Garcia!" Morgan shouted in warning but Reid got there first, stepping in front of her and restraining her from running out.

"Let me go," she sobbed but her struggles held no heart as she pressed her face into Reid's shoulder and he turned her away so she couldn't watch. Rocky had slung Frank over his shoulder and was climbing up a ladder that was part of the stage set up. Riff Raff fired shot after shot and Rocky turned around shaking his fist, face almost purple with rage, and then a shot hit him fatally and he fell with the already dead Frank into the pool. There was a horrendous splash and then it went eerily quiet.

Everyone was breathing heavily and desperately. Morgan had stopped fighting his bonds and was now sitting completely frozen, staring warily at the man with the gun, who'd killed three people in the space of five minutes. There was a steady gleam in his eye that was mirrored in Reid's as he too didn't take his eyes off the murderer.

Only Garcia seemed to be unaware of the tension in the room.

"You killed them!" she half sobbed, half screamed, pulling away from Reid's shoulder so she could direct the words to them. Riff Raff barely gave her a glance. He was still staring at the floating bodies.

"But I thought you liked them," Magenta said with a strange tone of curiosity in her words, more querying the why than in remorse for the dead. "They liked you."

"They didn't like me! They never liked me!" Riff Raff yelled in rage, the most uncontrolled they had seen him to the point, and the relief that the death of the Unsub might mean that the nightmare was over, rapidly vanished. Now they had a whole new murderer and he didn't seem as reasonable as he had earlier in the evening. Riff Raff's eyes turned to the remaining people in the room, all of them hostages, and he advanced with the weapon.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N Last chapter! Hope you have enjoyed it!**

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Chapter 8

"Freeze!"

The doors crashed open for the second time that evening, but this time it was Hotchner standing in the doorway.

"Drop your weapons!"

To Riff Raff's credit he recovered from his surprise very quickly and merely pointed his laser more threateningly at the group of hostages.

"Shoot and they die," he stated nasally.

"Look around you. It's over," Hotch returned calmly.

The hostages looked around at the same time as their captors, spotting the multiples of agents standing in the wings with their guns pointed towards them.

It was Magenta that broke the stalemate by sedately placing a hand on her brother's shoulder and giving him a level look. After a beat Riff Raff nodded, seemingly to an unspoken request and laying his gun on the floor put his hands in the air. Magenta did the same and they were quickly surrounded and cuffed.

"Oh great," Morgan muttered seeing the streams of people in the wings beginning to relax their weapons. "More colleagues to see me dressed like this." Reid in turn glanced down at himself and grimaced. Two of the contingent of gunmen broke away from the pack and went to untie Gideon and Morgan.

Hotchner approached them down the aisle that Frank had stumbled backwards down mere moments before. As he reached the stage he gave them all a once over, the only reaction at their attire a very small upward twitch of his eyebrows and at the corners of his mouth. By this point Reid was trying hard to keep his mind neutral to stop embarrassment turning his face pink. Garcia had already lost the fight and was trying to wrap the feather bower around herself in a more modest way. She had no objection to the outfit itself but her boss seeing her in it was a step too far. To his credit Hotch kept his gaze resolutely on their own, not dropping it to their attire.

"The ambulance will be here in a moment," Hotchner told them all, "they will be bringing in blankets for the shock." That wasn't why he was telling them but they were grateful. His eyes clocked the two bodies in the swimming pool and his mouth flattened to a grim line. "I know it's not ideal but I will need to take your statements as soon as possible."

They knew the drill.

Finally free of the ropes Morgan stood up, rubbing his wrists.

"There are at least two other bodies," he told his boss and pointed at the lighting where Columbia lay, "one there and one in the..." he swallowed, "...dining room. There are also two guns unaccounted for. My own and Gideon's."

Hotchner nodded and beckoned to the remaining team that weren't dealing with the arrested unsubs or sweeping the building and giving them specific instructions sent them to locate the weapons and body.

"Agent Hotchner, a word please."

Gideon snagged the attention of the team leader and with a small nod Hotch followed him over to the side of the room. Morgan quirked his head at them.

"What's all that about?"

Reid was watching the exchange with a closed expression.

"He's not coming back with us," he said it quietly, in a deadpan voice.

Morgan and Garcia both looked at him sharply.

"But he has to, hasn't he?" Garcia said faintly and then the ambulance personnel arrived and their conversations died under a swath of blankets.

Reid was right though, as they discovered when Hotch finally approached them where they were sat outside the house, without Gideon. The storm had stopped and the night air was cold outside of the blankets.

"He gave his statement and left."

Penelope gave Reid a concerned look as she noticed his flinch and hurt expression. No goodbyes then. Just gone. Just like last time.

"Here," Hotchner threw them some clothes. "Get yourselves changed and then we'll take statements."

"Thank God," Morgan muttered as he snatched up the items of clothing and prepared to bail to the nearest place he could get changed.

"You need help getting out of that corset, my chocolatey mountain of hotness, then give me a shout," Penelope grinned saucily and winked at him.

Morgan gave her a feral grin in return, "Funny I was going to say the same thing to you, Baby Girl."

Both pairs of eyes turned to Reid and he held his hands up.

"I'm good, thanks."

"Reid," Morgan stared earnestly at the younger agent, "it's okay, you know, if you want to keep the clothes on a little longer..."

Reid threw a shoe at his head.

They left someone else to oversee the tidy up at the crime scene so that Hotch could drive them home. It was now the early hours of the morning. Reid and Garcia immediately fell asleep in the back of the SUV but Morgan stayed resolutely awake at the front with Hotch.

"You need to talk about it?" Hotch asked after a number of hours of driving in almost complete silence, "I'm meaning as a friend, not a BAU agent."

Morgan shook his head slightly as though to clear his thoughts.

"I'm glad we dealt with that other case while we were still out there," he said finally "This would have knocked it clean out of my head." He stared out the window for a moment at the sky beginning to lighten as it got closer to the sun coming up. "I'm telling you Hotch, they don't come much weirder than that." He jerked his thumb back the way they had come and dropped his voice so the two in the back couldn't hear, even if they weren't asleep. "There were a few moments back there where..." he hesitated, "...where I thought our time had finally run out."

Hotchner nodded in understanding, eyes fixed on the road.

"They had it so much worse than me," Derek murmured, staring at the two sleeping agents in the rear view mirror. "He took a...special interest in Spence and a special dislike to Penelope. The number of times I thought he was going to kill her..."

"You mean the original Unsub? Doctor Frank ?" Morgan nodded and almost continued but Aaron cut across him. "It must have been difficult for you too, I mean..."

He was interrupted by his mobile ringing.

Morgan grabbed it quickly before it woke the two sleepers; not quite quickly enough as Reid jumped awake and Garcia stirred.

"Hello, this is Agent Morgan," he said, "Special Agent Hotchner _is_ here..." He suddenly went very still and quiet. "What do you mean they've _escaped_?"

"They've what?" Reid jerked forward in his seat, startling Garcia fully awake.

"Dammit." Morgan covered the mouthpiece of the phone. "Hotch, they took the bodies."

"The murder victims?" Hotch replied, an aggravated edge to his voice. He had had three of his team go through a traumatic event and he was angry.

"They'll go back to the house," Reid interjected up from the back-seat. "Riff Raff told Magenta that they were going back to Transylvania and to get the transport ready."

"So there must have been transport that we missed," Hotchner added and with a scowl did a U-turn in the road. "I'll drop you off at the local PD..."

"Hell no!" Morgan exclaimed, and Reid nodded from behind, "we're coming too." Hotch met Garcia's eyes in the rear view mirror and she pretended to sigh dramatically.

"Well if everyone else is...but I'm staying in the car with the door firmly locked."

"I don't understand..."

There was no house. Only the pitted ground it had once sat in. Small bricks and rubble lay in scattered piles.

"It was here, wasn't it? We haven't taken a wrong turn..." Hotch turned back around to scan the horizon. Garcia had been tempted from the car and now stood with them.

"If there is no crime scene," she murmured, "no bodies, and no creepy bad guys to lock up, does that mean it didn't happen?"

Reid said nothing as he absorbed the data his mind presented him with, drawing the relevant conclusions.

"They must have blown up the house to destroy the evidence," Morgan announced. Reid looked away from the scene towards his colleague, his mouth opening to explain that it would be impossible without leaving more debris, but instead he shut it again.

Morgan was on his phone in the next instant.

"You need to be setting up road blocks in a perimeter around the house," he commanded the people on the other end of the call.

"If only we knew what they were driving," Hotch said, thinking out loud.

Reid stared at the void. "They weren't driving," he whispered but not for the others to hear, "that wasn't what they meant by transport."

"So...wait..." Garcia said slowly, "you mean...they get away with it?"

"Unless we catch them..." Hotchner replied equally as slowly.

Reid looked out across the desolation, his mind whirling and clicking as it settled. His eyes swept the ground where mere hours before he had watched men and women murdered in cold blood, where debauchery and mayhem had been the aim of the game. Finally, unwittingly, his gaze turned up towards the lightening sky, one edge tinted with red, the other still showing the last few stars. He took a deep breath of cold air and let it out in a rush of two finalised words.

"You won't."

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 **'** **And crawling on the planet's face, some insects called the human race. Lost in time. And lost in space... and meaning.** **'**

 _ **The Criminologist**_


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